Fastener for flexible sheet material



O 1957 J. w. ALLMAND FASTENER FOR FLEXIBLE SIIEET MATERIAL Filed May 21, 1956 lllll lllll H INVENTOR. d

United States Patent Ofifice 2,813,322 Patented Nov. 19, 1957 2,813,322 FASTENER FOR FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL John W. Allmand, Winter Park, Fla. Application May 21, 1956, Serial No. 586,268 7 Claims. (Cl. 24-253) This invention relates to fasteners and, in particular, to non-piercing fasteners for flexible sheet material, such as cloth.

One object of this invention is to provide a wire fastener for releasably holding the ends of the same or separate pieces of flexible sheet material, such as cloth, without requiring any portion of the fastener to pierce or otherwise penetrate the material.

Another object is to provide a wire fastener of the aforegoing character which has a resilient holding action without requiring sharp points or other dangerous features, thereby rendering it safe for use with infants, such as for holding diapers, where the ordinary pointed safety pin is a constant hazard to the infant, particularly if it is swallowed.

Another object is to provide a wire fastener of the foregoing character, which incorporates a helical wire spring for exerting the yielding action by which holding is accomplished Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a wire fastener for exible sheet material, according to one form of the invention, shown in its open position with the material removed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the fastener shown in.

Figure 1, also in its open position;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 2, with the position of the cloth or other material shown in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the holder of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, in its closed position holding several folds of cloth;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the closed holder and cloth shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 5, showing the position of the folds of cloth in the closed position of the fastener.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the fastener device, generally designated 8, consists of a loop of wire,

generally designated 10, having sides 12 and 14 and front and back portions 16 and 18, the latter constituting a fulcrum portion and joining the side 12 in linked bent eyes 20 and 22 respectively. Pivotally mounted upon the back portion or fulcrum portion 18 is a spring fastener element, generally designated 24, consisting of upper and lower arms 26 and 28 respectively integral with and connected to the opposite ends of an intermediate coil spring portion 29 wound around the back portion 18 as a pivot. The arms 26 and 28 terminate in loops 30 and 32 respectively, and the side portion 14 has a hump34 over which the loop 30 is configured to hook (Figures 4 and 5) in the closed position of the fastener. The sides 12 and 14 of the loop 10 are bent as at 36 at approximately their mid-portion and the arm 28 is bent as at 38 and 40 to place the loop 32 on the end portion 42 parallel to the opposite end portion 44, with an oblique portion 46 therebetween. This places the loop 32 midway between the sides 12 and 14.

In the use of the fastener 8, the towel, for example, is drawn around the waist of the person withits ends overlapping in front. The open fastener 8 is then inserted over the overlapped ends with the latter between the loop 10 and the arm 32 of the member 24. The operator then pulls upward upon the loop 30 on the end of the arm 26, thus swinging the arm 26 clockwise around the back por tion or fulcrum portion 18as a pivot and thereby simultaneously swinging the loop 32 of the arm 28 upwardly into the material, into clamping engagement therewith. Continuing the upward movement of the arm 14, he then swings it in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, so as to swing the loop 30 over the hump 31, pressing the former downward upon the latter to lock the fastener in position, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The force of the spring portion 29 causes the loop 32 on the end of the arm 28 to ten-d to push the overlapped ends of the material through the center of the loop 10, which, of course, cannot take place, hence clamping occurs.

The fastener 8 is unclamped and opened and the ends of the material T removed by reversing the above-described procedure, namely by pulling upward on the loop 30 to lift it off the hump 34 and pull it to one side of the hump 34 (Figure 1). The force of the spring portion 29 thereby releases the clamping pressure on the material T and the parts move into their open positions shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, releasing the material T.

What I claim is:

l. A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a fulcrum portion at one end thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking portion lockingly engageable with said loop.

2. A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a fulcrum portion at one end thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking portion lockingly engageable with said loo said clamping member including a spring.

3. A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a fulcrum portion at one end thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking portion lockingly engageable with said loop, said clamping mem ber including a spring disposed between said arms.

4. A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a fulcrum portion at one end thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking portion lockingly engageable with said loop, said clamping member including a spring disposed between said, arms and encircling said fulcrum portion.

5. A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a substantially straight fulcrum portion at one end thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being rnovable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking port-ion lockingly engageable with said loop, 'sa id clamping member including a coil spring disposed between said arms and encircling said substantially straight fiulcrum portion.

i 5. A 'fa'stener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said *loop having a fulcrum portion at one end thereofland a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, tone of sail-dams being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm "extendin'g alongside said loop and having a locking portion lodklngly engagealale with said 1001), said loop having a jproje'ctionthereon and said 7 A fastener for flexible sheet material comprising an open-centered wire loop, said loop having a fulcrum portion at oneend thereof, and a resilient wire clamping member having a central portion pivotally engaging said fulcrum portion and a pair of arms projecting therefrom toward said loop, one of said arms being movable into said open space within said loop, the other arm extending alongside said loop and having a locking portion lockingly engageable with said loop, said loop 'having a projection thereon and said locking portion including an eye engaging said projection in the locked position of the fastener.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,172 Butcher July 14, 1896 1,068,857 Barnes l ..a o July '29, 1913 1,221,582 Ostman et al. Apr. 3, 1917 

